Operation Copilot Spring Cohort

This advanced training program offers SMU employees the opportunity to dive further into the use of AI Tools within the Office suite using a premium Copilot license provided by OIT.  This license is at an additional cost, and therefore, employees must agree to complete the full training series in order to retain use of the license. OIT will cover the cost for the duration of the pilot this fall.  Individuals who complete the course will maintain use of the premium subscription through the Spring semester, funded by OIT. 

For employees participating in the Spring 2026 Cohort, your license will be assigned upon registration in January.  If you complete the training series, you will retain your license through August. 

The training series includes the following:

  • Completion of the Intro to AI and The Art of Prompting introductory course
  • Completion of several on-demand training courses and challenge tasks
  • Regular participation in a Teams Channel to discuss with other learners how they are using the tools
  • Completion of a survey identifying specific ways the AI course helped improve productivity and efficiency, and providing feedback on the training.

Time investment expected is around 12 hours total throughout the semester.

Requirement 1:
Introduction to AI and the Art of Prompting

This course will introduce AI concepts. We will review a brief history of AI’s evolution, discuss popular AI services and tools, and discuss the benefits, challenges, and real-world examples of using AI responsibly in the workplace. This 90-minute class is offered both in-person and online.

Session Schedule:
Please choose from one of the following training sessions.

Webinar Recording

Requirement 2:
On-Demand Series

We have posted short (approximately 10-15 minute) videos introducing Microsoft Copilot functionality within the various Office applications. These are hosted in Canvas as individual modules. Following each video, participants will receive a list of challenge tasks to complete that week. To complete the assignment, participants will answer a few questions about their challenge task and what they discovered. This is a self-paced course. 

 
Courses Available in Canvas
Introductory Course and the Art of Prompting
Outlook and Scheduling
Word
All about Meetings
PowerPoint
Excel
 

Are you ready to join?

Join Operation Copilot